Okay fabricators... time to make stuff happen!!

if you are just going to shorten 4" what about moving the rear axle forward and just cutting off the back of the rails

I like your plan for the lap joint. It is more work but will be stronger than a butt joint.(The rear kick in my frame is butt jointed) I say go for it!
Arno

I agree with Ron. Straight cut it at the factory seam, move the rear section ahead 4" and reweld. Plate the inside and put some grade 8 bolts through it in a couple of places if it makes you feel better. Very simple operation. It will be harder to make body mounts. Don't worry it will be strong enough.

all of the ideas will work. use whichever you feel most comfortable with. measure 3 times, cut, tack, re-measure, finish weld.

It worked out beautifully!

I didn't take as many pictures during the putting it all together as I wish I had, but I was somewhat preoccupied with the welding and such.







More here on my webpage:

Merciless Frame Hacking

I'm anxious to build the body mounts and get this thing going!!

Great job!

very good grasshopper !

nice job,,what was the wheel base of the dakota frame to start with ?

Looks like you did your homework. Looks to be a natural cut and weld job. Boxing the welds afterwards is a good idea.

cat wait to see more pics,,,car porn pleaseeee

Nice job! I did mine on an angle:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3167/2845713752_ac26e4c41d_b.jpg

Matt

I have an ongoing dakota drag project.
we didnt shorten the frame, but we did box the inside of the frame from the factory boxed section to the rear bumper with 1/8", it added some weight but did it ever stiffen up the frame before it was a flexi flyer now it's like a battleship !!
I wouldnt hesitate to cut the frame straight, bevel,butt weld and box the frame on the inside just make sure you secure the frame. our's was fixtured up on a surface plate and allowed to cool it was stitch welded over a two day period to control heat induced warpage.

nice job,,,

hey scott, looking good any updates?

Okay guys, here's the quick and dirty update:

The leaf springs have been relocated, with the spring hangers out of the way the back of the body has been brought down.



There was so much backspacing on the Dakota wheels they rubbed at the top of the wheelwell on the body, so I put a pair of 15x8 hot rod steelies with 265-75r15 commando tires on the rear and they're close but they fit, even with the fender on on the passenger side.

I think I still want to run tall skinny tires on the original steel wheels, just so I can lower the rear some more, but I have a couple sets of different mag wheels I may try out.

The 8 3/4 rearend (1969 Dodge Charger FYI) is mocked up in there, the new perches are not welded yet.

My next plans are to build/modify the radiator support, trim the front frame rails, and get the front clip on. Maybe drop the 440/727 in and get that mocked up in there, maybe fire it up for giggles!!

More junk found at my webpage:
Bringing the Back of the 1940 Dodge Coupe down over the Frame.

very kool ,,keep us posted,, i like it

QUESTION is the dakota frame stock length or has it been shortened ? cant imagine the kick up being in the perfect position,,,,kool comming along nicely

fstfish, look at the photos toward the top!

thanks i see it now,,, i thought some one on this board was going to use a dakota and not slice and dice it,,,guess i was dreaming,,lol

I am working on a '38 Plymouth 4dr. I have it sitting on a total '89 Dakota frame. The Dakota is a regular cab with about 112" wheelbase. The wheelbase is almost identical to the '38. I did not have to shorten the frame as rabid scott , it looks like I will just have to channel the rear of the body for it to lower onto the Dakota frame in the rear. I also plan on a 440/727. Good pictures of the trunk area rabid , thanks.

sounds like that will work out great for you,,,didnt realize the 38 was that much shorter in wheel base then say a 40 ply/dodge

The '38 wheelbase is probably the same as the '40 ? I didn't have to shorten the Dakota frame because the one I have is a short wheelbase '89 Dakota 111.5" which is almost identical to my '38.

I got a couple hours in on the Coupe this weekend. Didn't do anything monumental, but any progress is good.

Measured out and trimmed back the front frame rails, and then got the front sheetmetal all bolted together.

I would have finished up building the mount for the radiator support, but I got distracted by another side project. I'll hopefully finish that up tonight, so I won't need jack stands to hold it up anymore.




Link:
Front Sheetmetal Action

Scott, I am at about the same place as you with my '38 also going on a Dakota. I have not relocated the rear springs yet. I am also close to welding in the radiator support. I did like you and put the front fenders on to locate the body over the front wheels on the Dakota frame. I have trimmed a little off the front frame rails, but only enough to get the fenders on. After the radiator support is in place I will be able to take several inches more off of the front rails. Have you decided how you are going to attach the body to the Dakota frame? I still have the '38 frame and have considered cutting the original body mounts off of it and making brackets to weld them onto the Dakota. Or, maybe look for aftermarket body mounts to weld on?

John, I've been fabbing my own frame to body mounts as I go, it's quick and easy.

I use 2x3 or 2x4 inch box tubing, with the length cut as needed and then sliced diagonally to make a matching pair of them. Then drill your holes accordingly.

Here's the only picture I have handy, ignore the tube in the picture, I'm using it to hold the body up off the frame while I cut on the rear. I removed the tube, set the body back down over the frame, and tacked them to the frame.

i think the 1940 is 119 or 120 inch wheel base

so the best deal would be to get a long wheel base dakota and shorten it,,,verses making a short wheel base dakota longer,,,

Scott,looking good. I'll be watching to see how you do your rad mount. I thought about making the frame out of square tubing and welding the top part of the original rad mount to the frame so you can bolt the nose to it like it originally was. The rear portion of the frame, do you plan on trimming it down heigth wise so it's not cutting into your trunk space? later shawn

Shawn, I have an idea similar to that for the radiator support that wouldn't involve hacking up the original, I'll snap a few pictures when I get around to building it here soon.

I'm not sure yet about the rear rails. They are pretty tall and I thought about tapering them down towards the end.

I was hoping to get the 440 installed last night, but I had to cook dinner, then put up the Christmas lights on the house, and ended up cleaning the garage. Maybe tonight?

xmas lights on the house already ?? yikes,,,

scott i e mailed you pics of the side trim i have i think its the hood trim,,

Don, I think you're right, I think those are the hood trim pieces, I haven't had a chance to get compare the pictures to the car yet. If it is hood trim, I definately need it!

Shawn, the only other trim I'm missing is the piece that goes on the passenger side door and the driver's side quarter panel.

Apparently there is two trim styles for the 1940 Dodge, I have the three-rib style on my Coupe, and Don has the smooth style on his.



Last night I dumped the 440/RV 727 into the car, I still need to build engine mounts on the frame and a tranny crossmember to hold it up at the rear. No pictures because it's not glorious right now, but maybe after I fab up so mounts.

I was dinking around with other stuff, and was surprised how easily it will be to mount the front bumper brackets. Pictures of that coming soon, too.

scott im sure they are the hood side pieces,,look at the pic of my car here,,for length,,

also i got a hold of a guy that has a ton of 40 dodge parts,,he is thinning out his cars and parts, has a nice rolling car for a resto or rod project,, he said he will get back to me after turkey day or the holidays,,ill keep bugging him,, says he has a lot of trim,,he also has a 40 dash i may be intrested in,,

Don, if he gets back to you could you ask him if he has the chrome trim for the center of a 40 hood please? I have a decent hood for my car but no center strip which as you know complete's the hinge. I have a question on your car, where did you find the hood ornament delete bull nose chrome piece? Thank's,later shawn

SHAWN,, i have to ask for a center strip for you and scott i believe,,, i will when he gets back to me, i do have a perfect hood ornament,,but i choose to delete it,, i bougth the piece of stainless at hershey ,,,its a piece off of a 1950 hudson, i dont know where it goes on the hudson,,bougth it from some old timers,,,paid 1 dollar for it,, just had to tweak it a tad to make the curve,,,ive thought about welding in a piece of stainless on the hood trim and sanding and polishing it,,,

Don, thanks for the info. later shawn

shawn,, what are you working on ?? scott is building the 40 dodge on the dakota,,my dodge is parked but will soon be in the garage, trying to keep every one straight here since i found the street rod catogory on moparts and figured out how to get e mails about replys,,,sory for the confusion don

Don, I'm the guy with the 40 dodge tudor sedan. You told me about the leaf springs and shocks from Posies. later shawn

shawn on,,,sorry im on so many mopar web boards,working on 2 cars at once,,,and turned 50 my memory isnt what it use to be,your doing a front stub big block if i remember correctly,,i remember the conversation on the posie springs,,,did you ever get a pair ?

I'm doing a small block(318) on a gm stub in mine. I haven't gotten the springs yet, maybe I can convince my wife to get them for me for x-mas,lol later shawn

i may be throwing in a 318 also,,if this hemi costs to much to repair and isnt reliable

You two guys are confusing me!!

Don, I definately need that hood trim, I'll have to send you an email.

Cooking and prep for Turkey day sure threw a wrench in all my gearhead plans! I haven't gotten anything done!!

My next plans are to build my engine mounts and tranny crossmember, we'll see if I can't get anything done this week.

scott i havnt forgot you as soon as i get a reply from jim,,,as to what he wants for these parts ill let you know,,,it may not be till after xmas,,he has a home in CT and now NM,,

Cool!!

I got my hood, its a NICE piece!! No dents or rust pitting, and the center strip was wired to the supports!

Just a little cellphone picture as I ran out the door this morning!

Scott, looking good. Feels good when you find another piece to the puzzle.

scott kool , man that center strip is hard to come by,,, i hope to find out that with the guy that has the parts soon,,

Ok You guys left this thread hanging! Have you gotten anymore done?
Would like to see your results!